As Fear Of Crime Grows, So Does The Number Of Security Systems

When one Cicero couple shopped this year for their first home, they decided it had to have a security system.

"I don't think it matters where you live," said the woman, who requested anonymity. "A security system provides peace of mind when you're not home and peace of mind when you are home."

The couple are typical of a growing number of Americans whose fears about crime are prompting them to install security systems.

Today, one in six homes, or 16 percent of all households, has some sort of electronic protection system, according to research by J.P. Freeman & Co. of Newtown, Conn. The security research and consulting firm expects that figure to increase to one in every five homes by 1997.

According to a survey this year of more than 400 builders by the National Association of Home Builders, electronic security systems were offered as a standard feature in 13 percent of new homes and as options in 63 percent of new homes.

During the last five years, sales have jumped 40 percent in the security industry despite a slight decline during that period in burglaries, according to the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association.

People feel safer with security systems, said Linda S. Gimbel, director of communications for the trade group in Bethesda, Md.

"The homes that are without them are three times more likely to be broken into than those that have them," she said. "A lot of burglars are scared off by a security system."

As the fear of crime has risen, the price of a security system has dropped significantly. Do-it-yourself systems available at electronics stores cost a few hundred dollars. The average price for a professionally installed system, not including a monthly monitoring fee of about $20, is about $1,000. That is 30 percent less than it was a few years ago, Gimbel said.

Gerald Arenberg, executive director of the National Association of Chiefs of Police in Washington, D.C. said, "Alarms, even with false alarms, are essential. If we didn't have them, it would be like opening every door for every burglar."

Fighting crime

According to Freeman, most burglaries occur between noon and 5 p.m., when many houses are empty. A typical pattern for burglars is first to survey the house to see if it looks like it belongs to reasonably affluent people. They check to see if it appears empty and may call the house five days in a row at a certain hour.

Most burglars go in and out of a house in four minutes, Freeman said. They grab the silver, jewels and videocassette recorder unless they are looking for money, and then they may ransack the house.

"The best security system is one that covers the entire perimeter of your home," Gimbel said.

As a minimum, it should include all the doors and windows on the first floor and alert the occupants with an internal alarm. Some professionals, including Freeman, said that audible alarms could startle intruders and make them feel trapped, which in turn might make them panic and become violent.

Systems also can have a battery backup if the power fails. Additionally, the best alarms are linked to a monitoring station, which should summon emergency assistance.

Professionals recommend that all family members learn how to use the system because false alarms are expensive. The best systems summon police when triggered; many communities charge fines for false alarms, and police may not respond after a designated number of false alarms.

"False alarms are the industry's biggest concern," said Dave Biros, director of marketing for the Security Industry Association in Washington, D.C. "A false alarm is like calling 911. Police will come."

Arenberg said that false alarms pose a significant problem for police departments. Because many police officers are used to responding to false alarms, some may not be prepared when they respond to an actual break-in.

He said that in recent years, more people are installing closed-circuit televisions in their homes because the price has come down. A camera can be installed and wired to a TV set for less than $1,000. It is not unusual, he said, for people to get these installed for older parents so that occupants can see who is at the door.

Shop around

Many systems today are going for a combination wired and wireless security system. The wires are used around doors and windows. Wireless devices, which have become much more reliable in recent years, detect sound or motion with light beams, microwaves or ultrasonic waves.

Another option that is growing in popularity is a two-way voice system. When the alarm goes off, someone at the monitoring station will telephone or speak directly to the occupant through a microphone.